COMEBACK keeper Cammy Bell has spoken out for the first time about the Rugby Park pain Mixu Paatelainen put him through.

The 26-year-old has been guaranteed to start the season as Kilmarnock's No.1 by new boss Kenny Shiels five months after being hung out to dry by the Finn for not signing a new deal soon enough.

That absence from the team cost him his place in the Scotland squad and left him believing he was done at the club he has been with all his career.

And he insists having the two things he treasured most put at risk by the kind of double-dealing he suffered in February left him wanting serious questions answered before he put pen to paper on a new deal.

As he prepared to retake his spot between the sticks for the season opener with Dundee United, Bell said: "It feels like a clean slate this summer for me to work from.

"I spoke to the new manager long into the summer when I was signing and I know he's behind me 100 per cent.

"That's all I want in a manager, not to tell me something then do something different, which has happened in the past.

"I'll be honest for him in everything I do - I'll try my hardest for the team. It's a new challenge for me, another season where I want to do well and hold on to a Scotland spot.

"Not being in the team here cost me that Scotland place last season and I was disappointed. Everyone knows the reasons why - I didn't think I got treated fairly at the club. I got injured for two weeks, was told if I was fit I would play but then I came back and never got spoken to. I asked the manager why and he said it was a contractual situation.

"I've not spoken about it before as I was working with the manager at the time but I know what was right and wrong.

"All you ask in football is to be treated fairly and honesty. But that's in the past and I am now starting afresh.

"When all that happened I thought I was going to have to get away from here. But things have changed with the new manager who spoke to me about what he wants from me.

"I've asked him questions and heard what I wanted to hear."

What he wanted to hear was that he was first pick. What he heard satisfied him.

Now it's up to him to justify it - and he'll never have a better chance to impress than he does today in front of Dundee United boss and Scotland No.2 Peter Houston.

With Craig Gordon crocked for the first three internationals of the season at least, and Iain Turner still without a club, Craig Levein is searching for solid cover for Allan McGregor. Matt Gilks is the only other fit choice.

Bell said: "It's a good chance to impress the Scotland assistant manager. It's a massive thing, everyone wants to be involved - no matter if you're first, second or third choice.

"The boys are really close, probably more than ever. When I first went into the squad it wasn't as close as it was.

"Then in February we went to La Manga and everyone bonded really well."

And while he thinks Scotland can prove their doubters wrong, Bell is quick to realise Killie have just as big a job on their hands.

After a seismic clearout of the squad which finished fifth last season and a closing run that saw them winless in their last eight, they've been tipped to toil this term.

But Bell shrugged: "We were tipped to be relegated last year too. It just gives us an opportunity to prove people wrong.

"We've gradually improved during pre-season and that's going to happen as we've a lot of new bodies.

"We can get into the top six again, we won't listen to anyone outwith the staff here.

"People who are shooting us down won't know the new players but look at last season. If I'd been asked this time last year who Alexei Eremenko was, I wouldn't have known. Now everyone in Scottish football does."